India’s Shafali Verma plays a shot during the third T20 International cricket match of the series between India and Sri Lanka, at Greenfield International Stadium, on December 26, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

India’s Abhishek Sharma plays a shot against England during the T20 Match at the Eden Garden in Kolkata on January 22, 2025.
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

Varun Chakaravarthy wove his spin magic at the Eden Gardens — his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders’ backyard — and opener Abhishek Sharma cracked a blistering half-century as India thrashed England by seven wickets in the first of the five-match T20I series in Kolkata on Wednesday.

After restricting the visitor to a modest 132, the host rushed to the target in 12.5 overs, much to the joy of a packed house.

India was off to a rollicking start, plundering 63 in the PowerPlay despite losing two wickets to Jofra Archer in the fifth over.

Sanju Samson (26), who utilised his gift of timing to hammer 22 off Gus Atkinson’s first over, provided the ignition before ill-timing a pull. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav miscued one to the leg side.

The two blows could not deter Abhishek (79, 34b, 5×4, 8×6), who treated Mark Wood with disdain — hammering successive sixes over fine-leg and third-man and a straight four in the sixth over.

The southpaw used his feet well against spinner Adil Rashid. He hoisted Rashid over mid-wicket and long-on and Jamie Overton over fine-leg as he completed his half-century in just 20 deliveries. He fell to Rashid when the target was in sight.

Earlier, Mohammed Shami’s wait to return to international cricket got longer as Suryakumar chose to field three spinners amid speculation split over the pacer’s form and fitness, and India’s tactics.

With plenty of dew on the field and the prospect of the pitch playing slow and the ball skidding, India opted to field.

Arshdeep Singh extracted impressive seam movement and bowled in good areas to strike in quick succession. The third delivery of the match surprised Phil Salt even before he could open his account. Salt’s leading edge went miles up in the air before Samson calmly accepted the catch. In Arshdeep’s next over, Ben Duckett, looking to play on the onside, only managed to get a leading edge.

Rinku Singh, posted at cover, ran back to take a spectacular high catch and help Arshdeep become the country’s top wicket-taker in T20Is, overtaking Yuzvendra Chahal’s tally of 96 scalps.

Unperturbed, captain Jos Buttler (68, 44b, 8×4, 2×6) batted aggressively, choosing Hardik Pandya for special treatment, as he added 48 quick runs with Harry Brook.

Varun (three for 23) displayed his control over flight and spin to scalp two in his second over. Brook, who had problems in reading the spinner, played for the turn but inside-edged one onto his pads and the stumps. Liam Livingstone was also bowled in a similar fashion.

Hardik removed Jacob Bethell and Axar Patel claimed the wickets of Overton and Atkinson in consecutive overs. The wicketless Ravi Bishnoi kept it tight to apply more pressure.

The one-man show of Buttler — who showcased his range of shots and placement skills on both sides — ended as he pulled Varun to Nitish Reddy in the 17th over.

All this proved inconsequential once Abhishek took over.

Australia’s Spencer Johnson celebrates with teammates after taking his fifth wicket of Pakistan’s Abbas Afridi.
| Photo Credit: AAP Image via Reuters

Australia speedster Spencer Johnson claimed a maiden five-wicket haul in international cricket as the hosts edged out Pakistan by 13 runs in the second Twenty20 International on Saturday (November 16, 2024) to clinch the three-match series 2-0.

Chasing 148 to win, Pakistan made a sluggish start and were reeling at 44-4 at one stage after losing Mohammad Rizwan for 16 and Salman Agha for a first-ball duck as Johnson ripped through the top order with three wickets.

Usman Khan hit his first half-century after being dropped by Matthew Short but fell for a defiant 52 as Johnson struck again in his final spell.

Johnson then removed Abbas Afridi for four to finish with 5-26 before Irfan Khan launched another counter-attack with an unbeaten 37 but he could not take the tourists over the line despite only 16 required from the final over.

Pakistan were eventually dismissed for 134 when Haris Rauf was run out as Australia’s second-string pace attack showed they could get the job done again with their frontline seam lineup rested ahead of the India test series.

“It’s an opportunity I don’t take lightly,” said man-of-the-match Johnson. “I’m privileged to be wearing the green and gold.

“You never know when your last game is going to be for Australia, so every game is a bonus. Hopefully I can play a couple more,” added the 28-year-old.

“It’s a different bowling unit than we’re used to for Australia and hopefully we’re doing a good enough job.”

Pakistan recovered from an early onslaught by Australia’s opening batsmen to restrict the hosts to 147-9 despite several dropped catches as Rauf finished with 4-22 and Abbas Afridi bagged 3-17.

Jake Fraser-McGurk and Short hit five boundaries and three sixes between them in the first 15 balls of the contest at the Sydney Cricket Ground as Australia reached 50 runs in only 3.1 overs after electing to bat first.

Pakistan hit back through Rauf, who had Fraser-McGurk caught for 20 while he attempted a cross-batted hit and then got rid of skipper Josh Inglis for a duck two deliveries later thanks to a diving catch by Sufiyan Muqeem.

Short missed a slower one from Abbas Afridi to fall for 32 and Marcus Stoinis was dismissed by Muqeem for 14 after he had twice survived due to some sloppy catching by Salman Agha and Shaheen Afridi.

Glenn Maxwell shook off a top-edge that rattled his helmet grill and looked to accelerate but he holed out against Muqeem for 21 to leave Australia in a bit of trouble at 95-5.

Another dropped catch, this time by Babar Azam, handed the dangerous Tim David a lifeline and he carted Rauf for two fours in the 15th over before becoming the seamer’s third victim.

Rauf then castled Xavier Bartlett for his 107th T20I wicket to join Shadab Khan atop Pakistan’s all-time list.

Pakistan won the preceding one-day international series 2-1 before a 29-run defeat in the rain-shortened T20 series opener.

The third and final match takes place in Hobart on Monday (November 18, 2024).